Stop
by VostroCaro
Summary: "The meaning of life is that it stops." ― Franz Kafka / set in the future, fluff, hints of Destiel.


The last thing Dean remembers is throwing his shoe at Sam for a smart ass comment. Then everything was noise, followed by eerie silence and orange licked the floor. He feels hot and the orange got closer. _Fire_. He gasps and chokes on it, but the silence swallows the impact.

He can't move his left foot because his remaining shoe is melted. He notes this in a faraway point of his brain, and that leads to the thought of _"Sam!" _but all he can see in any direction is fire. Fire, fire, fire.

He's not sure, but he thinks he screams "Sammy" before the black smoke pervades his lungs and forces him down into the flames.

###

"_No, brother, you must stay. This must happen."_

"_I've changed 'must' before."_

"_Then, perhaps, you must consider this as more than 'must'. You know it as well as I."_

"… _I do, brother. May I at least leave to greet him – them?"_

"_Of course."_

###

Dean hears… Bob Dylan? And he's in the Impala. _Wasn't I… motel room? _

When he gets out of the car, the road looks familiar. The field, too. Hell, even the sky looks familiar – dark, starry, hint of fog. He realises he's not actually looking at these things; they're already there in his brain. Then the trunk closes with a slam and his little brother comes out, carrying a box of fireworks.

And by 'little', he means '13-years-old'.

"Sammy?"

"Come on, let's go!"

And he remembers. Not that he has to; it plays out before him. Watching his little brother spin in amongst flying light makes him smile in a way that feels unfamiliar.

_So. I'm dead again._

He can't find it in him to care.

###

"_I need your help."_

"_What? Are they dead again?"_

"_For good."_

###

The memory doesn't end as abruptly as it did last time Dean remembers it. He gets to leave the burnt down field in laughter with his Sammy.

He does wonder where adult Sammy is, but chooses not to hold onto it for too long.

This time, there's no one to tell him what to do. To follow the road, go into the light; nothing. So Dean follows the road. It can't hurt, seeing a few more of his best memories.

The blue 'I wuv hugz' shirt doesn't annoy him at all.

"Dean… hey Dean, you hungry?" His mother's smiling voice warms him to the core. _Death ain't so bad. _And neither's a lack of brother, or people not truly seeing you – seeing the mother you barely remember feeling sad makes it hard not to tear up.

_Nothing. I just never realised how long you've been cleaning up Dad's messes._

Dean starts wondering about Sam a little more.

###

"_You're sayin' you knew how all this worked and you only told me when it suited you?"_

"_There is only so much we are allowed to impart."_

"_Sure. Which is why you don't care anymore."_

"_You know as well as I-"_

"_Yeah, yeah. The brothers are special."_

###

The memories get faster and sparser as he gets close to… is it still present day if he's dead?

Past 'wuv'ing hugs, all his memories seem to include Sam. In fact, they seem exclusive to Sam. His first word – _"Dean"_ – his first steps – towards his big brother – the first birthday he was able to celebrate without John forgetting and dragging them on a hunt. The Christmas Sammy gave him the amulet intended for John, Sam's thanks when Dean scared bullies off with only a look. Hug after brotherly hug, getting fewer and farther between when their father's vendetta drove a wedge between them.

_Being dead sure gives you a new perspective on your life._

Then the memories get more bittersweet – though, of course, they were already – when Sam agrees to join Dean hunting again. When they meet Jo and Ellen, have them disappear. Weekends at Bobby's, have him disappear. Meeting Cas, having him save their asses; saving his and failing to in return. Having Cas disappear time and time again.

Sam features in most of these memories, too; the times he's not there aren't included in Dean's happy recollection.

"_I was getting too close to the humans in my charge – you."_

###

"_Does it work?"_

"_Does it look like I got stuck in the time-space continuum? Don't get your panties in a twist, wings."_

###

Suddenly, Dean knows he's in his most recent memory. Sammy looks exactly the same; hair more than long enough to braid, and he finally started to shave those stupid sideburns again.

No words pass between the brothers. Chuck Norris on the TV; both know not to defile the sanctity of this tradition. They clink beers and lean back on the couch.

What he knows to be a few hours in, but that feels like a few minutes, Dean hears a flicker of wings. Sam doesn't react, but Dean tilts his beer in the sound's direction with a nod. "Cas." Sam turns in surprise, and Dean again questions why Sam is never aware of Cas' entrances.

Dean smiles where he didn't first time around, because introducing Cas to Chuck Norris led to one hell of a family movie night.

###

"_Don't think there's more we can do, wings."_

"_I believe you are correct, our work is done… thank you for your aid."_

"_Tell 'em to give me a ring."_

###

Dean hears a flap of wings just as the final film comes to a close, and turns in confusion. He can already _see _Cas.

"Cas? But you're…"

"Dean."

"Real Cas." He nods. "Last time you got in contact quicker. Time to beam me back down?"

"Not quite."

Dean's eyes narrow, then his forehead clears. "This time's for good, isn't it?"

Cas nods.

Dean nods in return and looks around at the suddenly empty room. "Where's Sammy?"

"I will take you to him."

###

"_Sam."_

"_Cas. What are you doing here?"_

"_You know where you are."_

"_I'm dead. Can't I just stay here this time?"_

"_You can. But not here. Come, I will take you to your heaven."_

###

"Sammy?"

"Dean." Dean smiles to their brief hug. "Sorry about your loss."

"What?"

"Your brother. He was a great guy. So giving… and handsome, too…"

Sam rolls his eyes and turns to Cas. "I thought it was rare for people to share their piece of heaven?"

"You don't share."

"So why are we here together?"

"Because I brought you both here."

The brothers exchange looks. "You're gonna have to explain some more, Cas."

"When I learned you had passed, I consulted with your friend, Ash. He and I worked more on his discovery into pathways between parts of heaven. It is now fully functional. Your section of heaven will be more like a house than a cell. And you would be in a neighbourhood with anyone you wished to be near. We are now working on the equivalent of the cell phone."

Dean raises an eyebrow. "I'm trying hard not to be impressed." Cas smiles. "You have to know what I'm gonna ask next, though."

Cas' head cocks to the side, and even Sam looks a little thrown off. "How can we interfere with what's going on down there? I have unfinished business, and I didn't even get offered the choice this time!"

"You can't, Dean. There are other hunters. They will handle this."

"Can't you even carry a message down for me?"

"Given the 'trouble' I caused – cause – every time I travel 'down there', I believe it will be many centuries before I am allowed to interfere."

"And since when has that stopped you?"

"I would like a break, Dean."

"There's no break for-"

"Dean. We're dead. I'm fairly certain that counts as a 'break'." Sam finally interjects.

Dean narrows his eyes towards his best friends. "If you managed to break the rules of solitary confinement, I'm gonna break the rules of this segregation."

"I have no doubt you will. But you've got plenty of time."

"Whatever."

"Sam, I will show you to your eternal resting place." With a flutter of wings, Dean is left alone.

###

"_I recognise here…"_

"_You would. Your spot would resemble the place in which you would feel most at home."_

"_This is where I lived with-"_

"_Sam?"_

"_Jess?"_

###

"Dean, shall I now show you to your section?"

"Cas… why is this our end?"

"It is written."

"We've ripped up pages before."

"Not these ones."

"Show me, Cas."

###

"_Why do I recognise this?"_

"_I recognise it, too."_

"_You would, your section of heaven reflects where you felt most at home… Dean?"_

"_We stargazed here once, Cas, you, me and Sammy. Missouri?"_

"_I believe so. This is where you feel most at home?"_

"_You, Sam, Baby and me. My whole family in one place? Of course."_

###

"Not really a place to sleep, though, is it?"

"You are dead, Dean, regular functions are not necessary."

Dean smiles. "So, are you gonna stick around for once? No duties calling?"

Cas returns the smile. "Not now."

"Good, you knew more constellations than me."

"Well, of course. I knew the original astronomers before they knew their own names."

"Then spend some time with me. Where is that Orion dude? He was cool."

* * *

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